25K

25K

This page belongs to the 2027 Rothrock by UTMB 25K. The organiser gives 26.9 km and 1,188 m of climbing, which is a lot for the distance. The first big climb is Spruce Gap, about 800 ft in under a mile. After that come rocky ridge-top sections of the Mid-State Trail, rhododendron tunnels, flowing singletrack and stream crossings, then the boulders and ledges of Shingletown Cliffs, which call for careful footing. The descent on Old Laurel Run Trail leads back toward the finish, beside a pond where runners can take a dip.

The maximum race time is 7 hours. The 25K is a UTMB World Series 20K category race and carries one Running Stone. The aid-station chart and GPX on the race page are still the 2026 versions and may change for 2027. Running on Sunday means a runner can cheer the 50K on Saturday and race the next morning. It suits a runner who wants a short race with the climbing of a long one.

On Livebib the runner shares a link to their own broadcast. Family open it in a browser, no account needed, and see the position on the course line, distance covered and a finish estimate that updates as the race goes. On the ridge and in the rhododendron tunnels, if the phone loses signal, the position is carried forward along the course and marked as estimated rather than freezing.